Times of Northeast Benton County
Encyclopedia
The Times of Northeast Benton County is a weekly newspaper
with a 1,300-1,400 circulation
located in Pea Ridge, Arkansas
, located in the northeast corner of Benton County
. In addition to the city of Pea Ridge, the newspaper covers the communities of Little Flock
to the south, Avoca
and Brightwater
to the southeast, Garfield
, Lost Bridge and Gateway
to the east, and historically — though intermittently in recent years — Jacket and Mountain to the north in Missouri
.
Annette Beard, a resident of the area for more than 30 years, is the current managing editor of the newspaper.
The newspaper that would become the Times was first published on January 6, 1966 by James (Jim) and Margie Edgmon as the Pea Ridge Graphic out of their home in Springdale, Arkansas
. The newspaper was purchased from the Edgmons in 1967 by Earle and Billie Jines. In 1972, the Jines merged the newspaper with the Cave Springs Scene, which they had started in nearby Cave Springs, Arkansas
in 1970, and created the Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene, with the first issue carrying the new name appearing on December 7, 1972. By 1980, the Jines had sold the newspaper to Jack and Mary-Lou Beisner, who renamed it the Pea Ridge Country Times, to better reflect the coverage the newspaper gave to surrounding communities. The Beisners again changed the name of the newspaper, starting with the February 3, 1982 issue, to the Times of Pea Ridge Country. Even after divesting her ownership in the newspaper, Billie Jines continued to contribute articles and columns to it and was largely seen as the preeminent local historian until her death in 2003.
By the late 1980s, Mike and Barbara Freeman had purchased the newspaper and operated it through most of the 1990s before selling it to Stephens Media LLC
, which in 2009 merged with Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Inc. to form Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC, the current owner of the Times of Northeast Benton County. It was under the ownership of Stephens Media LLC that the paper acquired its current name.
from the local communities to fill its pages. Typically not having any formal journalistic training, these correspondents provided folksy weekly columns on the events and people of their communities. Because of these slice-of-life essays, it was often common knowledge who had bought a new vehicle, moved, went on vacation or had a baby. For years, former Pea Ridge Mayor Mary Rogers Durand wrote on the comings and goings of Pea Ridge proper, while Pearl Patterson covered the details of country living in the Mountain and Jacket community and others did the same for the Little Flock, Garfield and Brightwater communities. By the late 1990s these columns had started to become scarcer and scarcer in the newspaper, dwindling to just a few in its current incarnation.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
with a 1,300-1,400 circulation
Newspaper circulation
A newspaper's circulation is the number of copies it distributes on an average day. Circulation is one of the principal factors used to set advertising rates. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulation, since some newspapers are distributed without cost to the...
located in Pea Ridge, Arkansas
Pea Ridge, Arkansas
Pea Ridge is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The name Pea Ridge comes from a combination of the physical location of the original settlement of the town, across the crest of an Ozark Mountains ridge, and for the hog peanuts or turkey peas that had been originally cultivated by...
, located in the northeast corner of Benton County
Benton County, Arkansas
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, the population was 153,406. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 population is 221,339. The county seat is Bentonville. Benton County was formed on 30 September 1836 and was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S...
. In addition to the city of Pea Ridge, the newspaper covers the communities of Little Flock
Little Flock, Arkansas
Little Flock is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,585 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
to the south, Avoca
Avoca, Arkansas
Avoca is a town in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 423 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Avoca is located at ....
and Brightwater
Brightwater, Arkansas
Brightwater, Arkansas is a community in Benton County, Arkansas. It is the location of Springfield to Fayetteville Road-Brightwater Segment, which is located at N Old Wire Rd./Benton Cty Rd. 67, S of US 62 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-References:...
to the southeast, Garfield
Garfield, Arkansas
Garfield is a town in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 490 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Lost Bridge and Gateway
Gateway, Arkansas
Gateway is a town in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 116 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
to the east, and historically — though intermittently in recent years — Jacket and Mountain to the north in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
Annette Beard, a resident of the area for more than 30 years, is the current managing editor of the newspaper.
History
The Times of Northeast Benton County is not the first newspaper to serve the Pea Ridge area, though it is the most successful and only existing one. The first recorded newspaper in Pea Ridge was The Advertiser, which was started by I.H. Baxter in 1905 and stayed in business nearly one year. The next newspaper was The Pea Ridge Pod, which was founded by William Beck in 1913 and lasted about two years.The newspaper that would become the Times was first published on January 6, 1966 by James (Jim) and Margie Edgmon as the Pea Ridge Graphic out of their home in Springdale, Arkansas
Springdale, Arkansas
As of the census of 2010, there were 69,797 people, 22,805 households, and 16,640 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 64.7% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 1.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 5.7% Pacific Islander, 22% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more...
. The newspaper was purchased from the Edgmons in 1967 by Earle and Billie Jines. In 1972, the Jines merged the newspaper with the Cave Springs Scene, which they had started in nearby Cave Springs, Arkansas
Cave Springs, Arkansas
Cave Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,103 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in 1970, and created the Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene, with the first issue carrying the new name appearing on December 7, 1972. By 1980, the Jines had sold the newspaper to Jack and Mary-Lou Beisner, who renamed it the Pea Ridge Country Times, to better reflect the coverage the newspaper gave to surrounding communities. The Beisners again changed the name of the newspaper, starting with the February 3, 1982 issue, to the Times of Pea Ridge Country. Even after divesting her ownership in the newspaper, Billie Jines continued to contribute articles and columns to it and was largely seen as the preeminent local historian until her death in 2003.
By the late 1980s, Mike and Barbara Freeman had purchased the newspaper and operated it through most of the 1990s before selling it to Stephens Media LLC
Stephens Media (newspapers)
Stephens Media LLC is a Las Vegas, Nevada diversified media holding company that publishes over 11 daily and 64 weekly newspapers in 9 states, primarily in Nevada and Arkansas....
, which in 2009 merged with Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Inc. to form Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC, the current owner of the Times of Northeast Benton County. It was under the ownership of Stephens Media LLC that the paper acquired its current name.
Rural Correspondents
For the first 30 years of its existence the newspaper depended heavily on rural correspondentsCommunity correspondent
A community correspondent, also known as a rural correspondent or country correspondent, is someone who produces a regular column on community events, places and people for publication in their local — typically weekly — newspaper...
from the local communities to fill its pages. Typically not having any formal journalistic training, these correspondents provided folksy weekly columns on the events and people of their communities. Because of these slice-of-life essays, it was often common knowledge who had bought a new vehicle, moved, went on vacation or had a baby. For years, former Pea Ridge Mayor Mary Rogers Durand wrote on the comings and goings of Pea Ridge proper, while Pearl Patterson covered the details of country living in the Mountain and Jacket community and others did the same for the Little Flock, Garfield and Brightwater communities. By the late 1990s these columns had started to become scarcer and scarcer in the newspaper, dwindling to just a few in its current incarnation.